InsideOut Stars Shine at the White House for Second Time

on May 11 in Uncategorized by

InsideOut was pleased to send students to the White House for the second time in two years.
Ten InsideOut writers from Cody High School and our after-school program, Citywide Poets joined students from across the country at an invitation only poetry workshop sponsored by President Obama and the first lady, Michelle Obama.

The poets were invited to participate in the workshop along with a star studded event entitled “An Evening of Poetry,” featuring performances by some of poetry’s most notable voices, including Elizabeth Alexander, Billy Collins, Rita Dove and Kenneth Goldsmith. InsideOut Citywide Poet Joseph Verge was tapped to read his poem, “3,2,1 Pow!” during the workshop.

In 2009 InsideOut Founder and ED, Dr. Terry Blackhawk accompanied students to the White House, after the organization was awarded a prestitigious Coming Up Taller award, a prize given annually to standout after school arts programs across the country. “We’re thrilled to have students back at the White House for a second time,” said Blackhawk.
Live streaming below at 7pm, Wednesday, May 11.


3,2,1 POW!
 by Joseph Verge

3,2,1 POW!
That’s what a track race sounds like
But I like to
compare life to one big race.
On September 7, 1994 at 7:15 pm
My mother shot me out of her womb
I tripped over my umbilical chord
but I kept crawling cause I wanted
a head start in life
See on this earth
We are the runners
And the track
is the circle of life
So we just gotta keep running
until we meet the
finish ribbon line of death
On April 16, 2007
My grandmother died from cancer
So I’d like to believe
her finish line ribbon was pink
And ya know it’s funny
How some people
believe that they can cheat death
As if they were running on the outside of the track
Just so they can get a longer life expectancy
While other people like Michael Jackson
Shoot up drugs as if they were quicksilver
Just so he could end his race faster
Because when Paparazzi chase you
It makes you wanna become a dove and fly
3.2,1 POW
How we run in this
life is determined by the pair of shoes
that’s been given to us by our parents
In order for us to run successfully our parents
must make sure that our shoes fit
And let’s just say
My shoes weren’t always tied
My father never left me any footprints to follow
Or showed me how to stay in my lane so I’d never
wander off or get lost
That’s why when my son is born
I’m making sure that his shoes fit
Double knotted
And if they shall be even an inch off
I’m taking them back
I wanna leave foot prints bigger than Bigfoot
Just for him to follow
I want him to Usain Bolt through life
3, 2, 1 POW
That’s what killed my friend
Jamar Pickney Jr.
Before he was killed
He told me never reach for the stars
Because if you land on the clouds
That’s too close to reality I remember
when his father picked him up from school
And I said “What’s up mailman?”
But who knew that mailman would send
His one
And only son
On a rush delivery to heaven
What I wouldn’t do to
grab Jamar’s hoodie one last time
Just to slow him down
But the sound of his father’s hand gun
Made him leap like frog
3, 2, 1 POW! I’ve been running for sixteen years
Mushroom clouds of confusion and questions
Have been blocking my view
So I have to write success into my own future
And I have learned that the way we run is not determined by our shoes
But by the runner.

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